Israel's Haredim, or ultra-Orthodox community, pose a "severe threat" to the country due to their rapidly growing numbers and their resistance to modernity, according to Israeli economist Dan Ben-David. The Haredim, who comprise 13.5% of Israel's population, are growing at a rate twice that of other Jewish Israelis, despite a decline in fertility rates as more Haredi women enter the workforce. The community's insular way of life, which is focused on religious study and large families, has led to tension with more secular Israelis and has driven the Haredim to demand greater political representation.
Two ultra-Orthodox parties are part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government coalition, and they recently secured significant increases in subsidies, which has sparked mounting resentment from other Israelis. The Haredim's growing influence in the government has also led to the advancement of more conservative policies, including gender segregation in public places and the rollback of protections for LGBTQ people. The Haredim are also increasingly aligning themselves with hard-line nationalists who advocate for annexation of the West Bank and restrictions on the rights of Israeli Arabs.
The Haredim's resistance to modernity is reflected in their insular way of life, which is focused on religious study and large families. Haredi men are traditionally exempted from military service, preferring instead to spend their days studying the Talmud. Yitzi and Avigayil Ackerman, for example, live in a sparsely furnished apartment and eschew most forms of modern technology for fear of being too materialistic. For many Haredim, self-segregation is not an end in itself, but a means to staying focused on what they believe really matters: their love of Torah, God, and community.
However, the Haredim's community-centric focus has led to tension with the wider Israeli society, which is increasingly concerned with how the country will support itself in the long term. The Haredim's aversion to work and large families has led to mounting resentment from secular Israelis who are tired of subsidizing a community that does not contribute to the country's economy. The Haredim retort that for decades Israel's secular majority has been content to have the government generously subsidize sport stadiums, museums and universities that the Haredim never set foot in, while providing only modest study pensions to the Haredim. They also say that historically their schools have been underfunded.
The tension between the ultra-Orthodox and secular Israelis has reached a fever pitch in recent years, due to the Haredim's growing influence in the government and their demands for greater political representation. While the Haredim see their growing political power as a way to assert their rights, many secular Israelis see it as a threat to their way of life. The Haredim's resistance to modernity, combined with their rapidly growing numbers, has led many to wonder how Israel will define itself as a Jewish democracy in the years to come.